Process and apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons.



Patented Mar. 4,1919.

f/ ///M////A A TTORNEYS A. COCHRAN.

Pnocess AND APPARAIUS FOR CRACKING AND DISTILLING HYDROGARoNs. APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1916. 1,296,367.

A. .1 llllllllllllf l WITNESSES ALFRED COCHRAN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO THOMAS COCHRAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. Y

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CRACKING AND DISTILLING HYDRGCARBONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. a, i919.

Application filed April 8, 1916. Serial No. 89,827.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALFRED COCHRAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New Yorkyborough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Inmproved Process and Apparatus for Cracking and Distilling Hydrocarbons, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact descrip# tion.

The invention relates to the cracking and distilling of petroleum and other hydrocarbons for the production of gasolene, benzene, toluene and the like, and its object is to provide a new and improved process and apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons in a very simple and economical manner with less production of carbon, a higher yield, increased production and uniforni nature of the resultant gases and vapors.

The method consists essentially in simultaneously subjecting the hydrocarbon to heat and to an attrition action. Use is also made`of a revoluble heated retort containing loose heat-conducting mediums such as metallic balls in rubbing contact with each other and with the interior surface of the retort.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented inthe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of the apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating different varieties 0f catalytics.

In furnaces for cracking and` distilling hydrocarbons as heretofore constructed, the hydrocarbons passing into the retort are subjected yto a high heat neXt to the walls of the heated retort and to a considerably less degree of heat at the middle of the retort, and as the reacting gases and vap'irs have a very low heat conductivity it is evident that they are unev-enly heated, and a large amount vof coke, tar and fixed gases are formed with relatively low yields of valuable products.

l/Vith the improved re-l tort presently described in detail the above described difficulties are overcome, and the heat is taken from the rim of the retort and distributed uniformly throughout the volume of the reacting gases and vapors thus insuring a uniform heating of the gases which with an attrition action produces the desired result.

A vsuitably constructed furnace 10 is prof vided with a burn-er 11 for exteriorly heat. ing a revoluble cylindrical retort 12 mounted in the furnace 10. The retort 12 is provided at its ends with heads 13 and 14 to which are secured hollow trunnions 15 and 16 journaled in suitable bearings 17 and 18 attached to the ends of the furnace 10. The hollow trunnion 15- is provided with apertures 19 in register with a supply pipe 2O attached to the bearings 17 and this supply pipe 2O is connected with a suitable supply of the hydrocarbon to be cracked and distilled. A pipe 21 connected with a water or a steam supply connects-with the pipe 20 near the outletvend thereof so that both hydrocarbon and water pass simultaneously into the trunnion `15 and from the same into one end of the retort 12 by way of apertures 22 formed in the head 13 at the opening of the. trunnion 15. By this arrangement the incoming hydrocarbon and water are somewhat. spread or distributed.

The other trunnion 16 is provided with apertures 25 connected with an outlet pipe 26 attached to the bearing 18 for conducting the resultant gases and vapors .to a condenser for condensing the said gases and vapors. The head 14 is* provided with apertures 27 opening into the trunnion 16 to allow the resultant gases and vapors to pass from this retort 12 into the trunnion 16 and from the latter tothe outlet pipe 26. The outer end of the trunnion 16 is connected with other machinery for imparting a continuous rotary motion to the retort 12, and for this purpose use may be made of a sprocket wheel 30 secured on the trunnion 1 6 and connected by a sprocket chain with other machinery. It is expressly understood 'that I do not limit myself to any particular driving means for the retort.12.

The retort 12 contains.heat-conducting mediums 40, preferably in the form of metallic balls, in rubbing contact with each other and with the interior surface of the retort 12. It is understood that when the retort 12 is rotated the balls 40 by their own weight are set in motion and rub against eac-h other and against the interior surface of the retort 12. The retort 12 is provided with a suitable manhole 50 for placing the balls 40 within the retort or removing same therefrom whenever it is desired to do so. The retort 12 is also provided with a drain cock 51 for draining` the heavy residues from the retort 12 at the time the latter is at a standstill and the drain cock 51 is iIl lowermost position.

The operation is as follows:

Then the retort 12 is rotated and heated from the -tlame emanating from the burner 11 and the hydrocarbon passes into` the retort by way of the pipe 20 and the trunnion 15 then such incoming hydrocarbon is subjected to heat and to a rubbing action by contact with the balls 40 and the interior surface of the retort 12 whereby the hydrocarbon is quickly cracked and vaporized before reachingthe trunnion 16 and the pipe 2G for 'carrying` off the cracked gases and vapors. It will be noticed that by the arrangement described, the heat of the rim of the retort 12 is taken up by the metallic balls 40 and this heat is by conduction, convection and radiation passed to the hydrocarbon within the retort 12 thus practically reaching every particle of the hydrocarbon passing into the retort 12 thereby insuring' a high vield of gases and vapors of a relatively uniform nature.' As the balls 40 extend throughout the length of the retort 12, it is evident that the heat is uniformly distributed within the retort to produce the desired result. It will be noticed that by the continnous rubbing action lof the balls 10, choking of. the retort-by a rapid accumulation of carbon deposits is entirely prevented and the retort can be used for quite a length of time without requiring stopping thereof for the removal of possible carboni deposits and heavy residues, as is frequently the case with apparatus as heretofore constructed.

The retort 12 may be lled completely with the balls 10 or, at least, slightly more than half full, as shown, so that the balls extend above the apertures 22 and 27. By this arrangement the hydrocarbon entering the retort is subjected to the heat emanating from the balls 40 and to the rubbing action thereof. The pressure under which the hydrocarbon enters the retort. and the degree of heat to which the latter is subjected depends on the nature of the hydrocarbon treated at the time and the products desired.

The apparatus is well adapted to catalytic operations through the medium of added catalyzers'. for example, balls of nickel, co-

balt or other substances may be used either with or without the addition of catalyzing metals. oxids and salts, andof water to promote desirable decomposition. The attrition of the balls in rolling causes fresh surfaces to be constantly exposed to the reactingr gases so that the catalytic effect is practically continuous.

ln practice, theretort 12 and the balls 40 are preferably made of iron, and it is evident that by the use of such balls the heat of the retort rim is rapidly transferred toA the interior of the retort thus promoting umform heating of the reacting gases andl surfaces for catalytic effect, and third the rapid transfer of heatl from the rim of the retort to the interior thereof, as above explained.

In the cracking or decomposing of hydrocarbon oils for the manufacture of gasolene the iron balls are preferably of about one inch in diameter and use is made of a catalyzer such as grain nickel with a temperature in the interior of the retort of from 300O to 5000 C. and a pressure of about ten atmospheres in the retort and condenser. For the manufacture of benzene, toluene and other aromatic hydrocarbons the same balls and catalyzers are used but the temperature is raised to from 500 to 650o C.

It is evident that I do not limit myself to the exact sizes of the balls, the pressure and the degrees mentioned as the same may be varied withoutv deviating from my invention. l

The apparatus will serve many operations involving reactions, namely, between gases, between gases and liquids. between gases and solids. and between liquids and solids, either with or without pressure, either with or without heat or either with or without catalyzers.

I do not limit myself to the exclusive use of metallic balls as the retort filling for the reason that a wide diversity of substances might'be used of regular or irregular shape: for instance, fragments of pumice, of coke, shot nickel, oxids and salts, in crystal, grain or powder form.

The apparatus may be used in connection with gases, vapors, oils, tars and greases for petroleum and coal distillations or with any other produ-ct, oily or otherwise, where distillation, decomposition or treatment with reagents may be indicated. As examples of such other processes I mention the hydrogenation of fatty oils in the presence of catalysts; the production of oxalates by the reaction between carbon monoxid and alkavlis; the production of sulfuric anhydrid by incase? when cracking and distilling heavy hydrocarbon oils for the production of gasolene, promoting the reaction at a comparatively low temperature (from 3000 C.-to 500"v C.)

and lessening the formation of fixed gases. `The water is introduced through the pipe 21 and mixes with the oil from the pipe 20, both oil and water being usually supplied from separate closed tanks, (not shown), Where each is under the same pressure (pressure produced by compressed-air or other means) and after thereaction-in the retort the resulting gases vand vapors make their exit to a condenser (not shown) through the pipe Q6. For the production of the aromatic hydrocarbons especially benzene rand tolu` ene, I usually operate Without water and at higher ten'iperature, that is from 500o C. to 650 C.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The method ofcracking and distilling hydrocarbon oils, .which consists in simultaneously subjecting the hydrocarbon oil yunder pressure, to heat, and to the attrition action of moving heat conductingy metallic balls. in the presence of-catalytic agents.

2. The method of cracking and distilling hydrocarbons which consists in subjecting the hydrocarbon under pressure to conduct-` ed, convected and radiated heat and at the same time to an attrition action by heated moving .metallic mediums within an exte riorly heated revoluble retort, whereby the gases and vapors produced are uniformly heated. Y

3. The method ofxcracking and distilling hydrocarbons which consists in subjecting the hydrocarbon under pressure to conducted, convected4 and radiated heat and at the same time to an attrition action, by means of metallic catalytic agents. .whereby the gas or vapor produced is uniformly heated, and then condensing the resultant gas or vapor.

' f1. The method 0f cracking and distilling hydrocarbon oils under pressure, by subject ing the same to the action of an exteriorly heated revolving retort charged with metallic balls and containing catalytic agents.

5. An apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons, comprising an exteriorly heated revoluble retort, heat-conducting and catalytic mediums in the form of metallic balls loose within the said retort and in rubbing contact with each other and the interior surface of the retort toconduct the heat from the periphery of the retort to the interior thereof, to uniformly heat the contents, means for conducting the hydrocarbon heat conducting and catalytic mediums is prevented.

6. An apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons, comprising a furnace, a revoluble vretort exteriorly heated and to avhich the hydrocarbon under pressure is admitted and from which the reacting lvapors are conducted, catalytic agents including metallic `balls held in the said retort, and in rubbing androlling contact with each other and with the interior surface of the retort, the said balls acting as heat conductors to heat the contents of the retort to a uniform temperature, the balls conducting the heat quickly from. the .periphery of the retort to the interior thereof, andby the rolling action maintainingfresh and active catalytic sui` faces, thus promoting desirable chemical decompositions and recombinations.

7. An `apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons,comprising a. furnace, a revoluble retort in saidffurnace exteriorlv heated, and to which the hydrocarbon under pressure is admitted and from which'. the vapors are conducted,.catalytic agents including metallic balls held loose in the said l and with the interior'surface of theretort,

the balls conducting the heat quickly from the periphery of the retort to theinterior thereof, whereby `the contents ofthe retort are heated to a uniform temperature and overheating and undesirable decompositions are prevented. y v y 8.l An apparatus for crackingy anddisti-lling hydrocarbons, comprising a furnace. Aa retort within the said furnace and .having heads provided with hollow trunnions, bearings attached to the ends of the furnaces in which t-he said trunnions are journaled, the said trunnions being provided with apertures, driving means for rotating the said retort, a combined hydrocarbon and steam or wat-er supplying means connected with the bearing of one of the hollow trunnions and in register with the apertures in the trunnion for charging the retort with the hydrocarbon to be cracked and distilled, and an outlet connected with the bearing of the other trunnion and registering with the apertures in the trunnion for carrying off the resultant gases-and vapors, the outer ends of the trunnions being closed, and the heads of the retorts being provided with apertures opening into the inner ends of the trunnions.

9. An apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons, comprising a furnace, a retort within the said furnace and having heads provided with hollow trunnions the 1 heads having small apertures at their central portions opening into said trunnions, driving means connected with one of the trunnons for rotating the said retort, a sup lylng means connected with one of the ho 10W trunnionsfor charging the retort with the hydrocarbon to bel cracked and distilled, means connected with the said hydrocarbon supplying lmeans for admitting steam or water to the retort. `an outlet connected with the other trunnion for carrying off the resultant gases and vapors, and metallic balls held loose in the said lretort and in rubbing and rolling' contact with each other and with the interior surface of the retort.

l0. An apparatus for cracking and distilling hydrocarbons, comprising affurnace, a retort within the said furnace and vprovided with hollow trunnions, bearings attached to the ends of the furnace and in-\vhich the said trulniions are journaled, driving means for rotating the said retort, a hydrocarbon supplying means connected With the bearing of one. of the hollow trunnions and coinlniunicating with the `interior of the trunnion, an outlet connected with the bearing of the y,other trunnion and communicating with the interior of the trunnion for carrying oft' the resultant `gases and vapors, a water supply pipe connected with the'hydrocarbon vsupplying means near the outlet end thereof, metallic balls' held loose in the said retort and in rubbing` and 'rolling Contact with eachother and with the interior surfacel of the retort, a drain cock on the said retort, and a manhole onthesaid retort, the heads of the'said retort having small aperture opening into the trunnions] ll. The process of preparing lighter hydrocarbon oils froniheavier oils, which coniprises subjecting the vapors of heavier oils, under super-atmospheric pressure, as a progressively-advancing current to the action of progressively advancing current to the ac-` tion of heat, in a cracking zone containing metallic bodies moving substantially transversely to the direction of flowfof the vapor current and having a rubbing action, Whereby carbon is prevented from adhering the heating surfaces.

13. The process of preparing lighter nydrocarbon oils from heavier oils which coniprises subjecting the vapors of heavier oils, under a super-atmospheric pressure, as a Aprogressively advancing current to the action of heat, in a tubular zonecontaining iron masses moving 'substantially' transversely to the direction'of tlovv of the vapor current and having'a rubbing action, whereby carbon is prevented from adhering,v to

the heating surfaces. v

1l. The process of preparing lighterlhyl" drocarbon oils from heavier oils which comprises subjecting the vapors of heavier 011s, under a su-pei-atmospheric pressure, as' a progressively advancing lcurrent to vthe ac-KV tion of heat, in Va cracking Zone containing iron masses vmoving substantially transversely to the direction of flow of the lvapor current and having a rubbing'action, Whereby carbon is prevented from adhering to the heating surfaces.

ALFRED COCHRAN. 

